Through Sam's Eyes: The Great Fire of Pontypandy
by CarsWorldFan
Summary: This is the first of a three part series. I have rewritten the Fireman Sam movies entirely from Sam's POV, including some extended and extra scenes not shown in the movies. What starts out as a special day for Sam soon turns into a disaster when a massive forest fire threatens his beloved hometown of Pontypandy. Note: Since I'm Australian, I've used the UK version of the movie.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 1

It had been a quiet day in Pontypandy, for a change, but now that it was evening, a wild storm had blown in to cool everything down. Inside the fire station, Elvis and I were getting settled to begin the night shift. Station Officer Steele was downstairs in his office, preparing to head on home for the night. I didn't envy him walking home in this downpour though.

Elvis had planned to spend the night shift writing a new song, while I had a new book I'd been wanting to read for several days now. Naturally, I'd just made myself comfortable at the kitchen table, when we both heard the unmistakable beeping sound coming from the fax machine in the office downstairs. I reluctantly put my book down, just as the alarm began ringing.

"So much for a quiet evening to ourselves," I muttered as I leapt up.

Station Officer Steele's voice came over the loudspeakers while Elvis and I slid down the fireman's pole. " _Charlie Jones is dangling from the lighthouse!_ "

I promptly felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach. That always happened whenever I knew that a member of my own family was in peril. Unfortunately, my brother had a knack for getting into difficulties.

"We'll take Jupiter!" I immediately decided as I grabbed my firefighting helmet. I then pulled the lever to open the garage door, before I dashed over to Jupiter. Elvis was already in the passenger seat by the time I climbed up. He turned on Jupiter's siren as I put her into gear. I then turned on the wipers as I drove the faithful old fire engine out of the garage and down the driveway.

It was difficult to drive quickly and safely in the downpour, but my years of experience had taught me just how far I could push Jupiter. This time, I pushed her to her limits along the tight, slippery country roads.

After what seemed like an eternity, we arrived at the lighthouse. The storm had whipped the sea into a frenzy, and it was crashing over the rocks. Elvis grabbed a torch as we both leapt out of Jupiter. I was soaked to my skin within seconds, but I didn't care. Right now, I just needed to find Charlie.

"HEEELP!"

I could hear Charlie screaming, but in the driving torrent of rain, I couldn't see much. Elvis aimed his torch at the top of the lighthouse, and he gasped. In the dim torchlight, I finally saw my brother, dangling from the platform.

"HEEELP!" Charlie screamed again.

"Great fires of London!" I exclaimed as the full realisation of Charlie's predicament became clear. "Hang in there, Charlie!" I turned to Elvis. "Urgh! The wind's too fierce to use the ladder, or the helicopter."

"So how will we get your brother down?" Elvis asked worriedly.

I frowned determinedly when I realised I only had one option left. "Keep the light on him, Elvis!" Looking back up at my brother, I shouted, "I'm coming, Charlie!" Then, I ran inside the lighthouse.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I raced to the top of the lighthouse. I reached the top, just in time to see Charlie's right hand disappear. He wouldn't be able to hold on for more than a few more seconds.

I leaned over the railing just as Charlie's left hand slipped from its grip. Miraculously, I managed to grab him by his left wrist.

"Got you!" I exclaimed triumphantly, but I knew it wasn't over yet. Charlie may have been lighter than I was, but he was still heavy. Heaving as hard as I could, I managed to pull him up high enough for him to get another handhold on the railings. Elvis shouted something, but I couldn't hear him clearly because of the storm.

"Come on, Sam!" Charlie encouraged as he scrambled over the railing.

I gave one final heave to pull him over. As soon as he was safely on the right side of the railing, I gave him a scolding. Normally, younger siblings wouldn't be able to get away with scolding their older ones, but my job gave me that entitlement. "That was close! You really should clip yourself on for safety in the future, Charlie."

Charlie didn't seem to be listening to my advice. Instead, he hugged me tightly. "Thanks, Sam! I will!" He let me go. "But it's not over yet! If we don't get this lighthouse working, the ships out there could run aground in the storm."

 _Hmm… What else has bright lights that we can access quickly? Jupiter! Of course…_ I removed my walkie-talkie from its pouch on my belt. "I've got an idea." I pressed the push-to-talk button. "Sam to Elvis. Keep Jupiter's lights flashing. Shine the headlights out to sea to warn the ships, until we can get the lighthouse going. There are a lot of people depending on us!"

" _Okay, Sam!_ " Elvis radioed back.

While Elvis positioned Jupiter, I took out my pocket torch, and I turned it on. I wasn't the best at mechanical things, but I hoped I knew enough to be able to help Charlie. After all, we couldn't leave Jupiter at the lighthouse all night. She might be needed elsewhere.

"The light's through here, Sam," Charlie said, stating the obvious as we entered the light room. "I just can't get it to work."

Stepping closer to the light, I shone my torch on the wiring. _Ah-huh! One of the wires has come loose._ "Hand me that screwdriver, Charlie. See this green wire? It's come loose from the circuit board. We just need to screw it back in."

Charlie slapped his forehead in disbelief. "Why didn't I see that?"

I decided it was best not to answer him, so I set to work. As soon as I'd screwed the green wire back into position, the light came to life.

"Yes!" I exclaimed triumphantly.

"Whoo!" Charlie cheered. "Wonderful, Sam! Thank you so much!"

"No problem, Charlie. Now, I'm afraid I must get going. There could be more emergencies on a night like tonight. But, I can give you a lift back home, if you'd like?"

"That'd be great, Sam, thank you."

"Right, then. Let's pack up and get going."

…

Sometime later, I drove Jupiter down to the quay, and I parked her outside the Wholefish café. After I'd turned off the engine, Charlie, Elvis and I got out, and we dashed inside the safe to get out of the continuing downpour of rain.

"Here you go, Bronwyn," I said as I patted Charlie's shoulder. "One husband, safely returned."

My sister-in-law dropped what she was doing, and she hurried over to us. "Charlie! You're soaked! What happened?"

"I had a mishap at the lighthouse," Charlie admitted. "Thank goodness Sam managed to save me in time!"

Bronwyn was already fetching blankets for us. "Honestly, Sam, I don't know what we'd do without you, sometimes."

Smiling, I placed a hand on Elvis' shoulder. "I couldn't have done it without Elvis."

Elvis beamed proudly.

"Come on, you two," Bronwyn insisted in her motherly tone. "I have blankets for you too. I won't let you leave here until you've both dried out and had some hot cocoa."

"Oh! I love hot cocoa!" Elvis said as he sat down. I sighed heavily. Despite her fussiness, Bronwyn's offer did sound too good to resist. However, I knew we were needed back at the fire station as soon as possible. Station Officer Steele would be anxious to go home by now.

"Sorry, Bronwyn," I apologised. "We'd love to stay, of course, but we're on duty."

"Samuel Jones!" Bronwyn said sternly, making me cringe. "You will sit down and do what I tell you! The last time I let you go back to the fire station soaked to the bone, you ended up with a nasty cold."

"It wasn't that bad," I muttered as I reluctantly sat down opposite Charlie. "It was just a sniffle…"

"You had a thirty-eight degree fever!" Bronwyn snapped.

"I wouldn't bother trying to argue with Bronwyn, Sam," Charlie warned as Bronwyn went into the kitchen to prepare the hot cocoa. "It's the mother in her."

I shook my head in disbelief. Just then, my walkie-talkie crackled to life.

" _Sam? What's going on? Where are you?_ " Station Officer Steele demanded to know. As soon as he paused for a breath, I pressed the push-to-talk button.

"We're at the café, sir," I replied. "Bronwyn's hijacked us, and she won't let us return until we're no longer in any danger of coming down with a deadly disease, like the common cold."

In retaliation for my teasing, Bronwyn threw a cushion at me. It bounced harmlessly off my shoulder.

"Oof!"

" _Oh, I see,_ " Station Officer Steele sighed. " _Well, I suppose that's all right. Just come back as quickly as you can. I want to go home to bed._ "

"Will do, sir." I slipped the walkie-talkie back into my pocket. Seeing that Bronwyn had turned her back to me, I playfully tossed the cushion at her back. Startled, she spun around.

"Who threw that cushion?"

Charlie and Elvis promptly pointed at me. "Traitors!" I muttered.

Sarah and James ran downstairs then.

"What's going on down here?" Sarah wondered.

"Nothing much," I replied. "Your mother started a pillow fight, that's all."

"Oh! Can we join in?" James begged.

Bronwyn gaped at me. I shrugged innocently.

"That's it!" Bronwyn exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. "Sam? Elvis? Get out of here! I can't believe you woke Sarah and James! Just don't blame me if you both catch a cold!"

"We won't!" I said, leaping up. I didn't need a second invitation. Grabbing Elvis by his arm, I made a bolt for the door.

"Oh! But I didn't get my hot cocoa!" Elvis complained.

"I'll make you one back at the station," I promised as I pulled the door open. "With marshmallows too!"

Elvis and I had just climbed back into Jupiter, when Station Officer Steele radioed me again.

" _Sam? Are you going to be much longer?_ "

"No, sir," I replied. "We're on our way now."

I swear I heard Station Officer Steele breathe a huge sigh of relief!

 **Okay, okay, so I know I said my next Fireman Sam FanFiction story would be called 'Nightmares', but after I started writing from Sam's POV, I realised how amazing it would be to rewrite the three Fireman Sam movies entirely from Sam's POV! That way, I could get deep into his innermost thoughts and feelings, while also filling in some of the plot gaps in the movies with extended and extra scenes.**

 **Please let me know what you think of this approach. I'll admit that, although I have written a few unpublished novels in first-person, this is my very first attempt at doing so for FanFiction. I must say, I'm really enjoying it so far!**

 **Oh, and for those of you who are keen to see me put Sam and Penny together, I have a few cute and emotional moments coming up between them. However, since this series follows the movies, I'm sorry, but I won't be putting them in a relationship (and I doubt I ever will, primarily because, as some of my regular readers know, I am not very good at romance fiction). So sorry about that, but I do still hope you enjoy the quiet moments they share together as close friends and colleagues.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 2

 **One month later**

"Good morning, Sam!" Penny greeted me as she entered the kitchen, where I was sitting with my breakfast. Elvis was at the stove, tossing pancakes. "Are you looking forward to today?"

"Not really," I replied.

Elvis was surprised. "But I thought you got along well with Chief Fire Officer Boyce?"

"I haven't seen him since he left Pontypandy many years ago. Actually, I'm surprised he became Chief Fire Officer. I didn't think he had it in him."

"He was Station Officer at Newtown when I was going through my basic training," Penny added. "I always thought he was getting a bit above himself then."

"He hasn't changed then," I muttered before I took another mouthful.

The alarm sounded, followed by Station Officer Steele's voice over the loudspeakers. " _Assembly drill outside, now!_ "

"Guess Chief Fire Officer Boyce has arrived then," Penny said as we darted over to the fireman's pole. Penny slid down it first, followed by myself, and then Elvis.

I really wasn't looking forward to this. You see, after I'd rescued Charlie that stormy night from a fall at the lighthouse, Elvis had recounted the whole story to Station Officer Steele. Station Officer Steele had been so impressed that he'd summited a recommendation to HQ for me to receive an award for Outstanding Bravery. I didn't want it, especially considering I already had several Bravery Awards, but I knew better than to try and reason with my superiors. It seemed that the more I argued, the more medals I got. In all honesty, I hated them, because they made it seem as though I'd done the rescues all by myself when, in reality, it had always been a team effort.

 _The next time Station Officer Steele insists on giving me a Bravery Award, I'll tell him that I'll only accept it if the others get one as well_ , I thought and I fell into line alongside Elvis. Tom had just arrived, so he quickly fell into formation beside Radar, just as Station Officer Steele and Chief Fire Office Boyce emerged through the front door. We all stood to attention as they approached us. Station Officer Steele was carrying a red and gold cushion in his arms. I knew exactly what was on it.

"…And of course, I remember the look on his face as he climbed back into the fire engine," Station Officer Steele was saying to Chief Fire Officer Boyce. Then, seeing us standing there, he quickly focused his attention to the task at hand. "It gives me great pleasure to perform this duty. It's not often in my career that I've had the honour of awarding a medal of the highest standing to one of my fellow firefighters for his great service. It's one month to the day since the great storm, when one fireman performed an act of selfless bravery, above and beyond the call of duty."

 _No, it wasn't_ , I protested inwardly. _I was just doing my job!_

"Here, here!" Chief Fire Officer Boyce said in agreement.

Station Officer Steele continued. "So, would our hero please step forward?"

I hesitated. I didn't want that medal at all!

Thanks to my hesitation, Elvis stepped forwards! Everyone was surprised, including myself.

"No, not you, Criddlington!" Station Officer Steele exclaimed, holding up a hand to stop him. "Fireman Sam."

That was it. I couldn't avoid it now. Tom started laughing. With a despondent moan, Elvis stepped back into line. _He deserves it far more than I do._

"Oh. Sorry, sir," Elvis muttered. He was clearly embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Elvis," I whispered to him. "You'll get yours, one day." Seeing Chief Fire Officer Boyce and Station Officer Steele coming towards me with the medal, I stepped forwards to receive it.

"It gives me great pleasure, in presenting you with the medal of Outstanding Bravery," Chief Fire Officer Boyce said, and he pinned it to my uniform. I kept my eyes focused straight ahead while he did so, secretly hoping he wouldn't accidentally prick me with the pin. However, Chief Fire Officer Boyce seemed to know what he was doing, and he pinned the medal perfectly. "Sam. You are a credit to the service."

We both took a step backwards, and then we saluted each other. Everyone else started applauding and…whistling? I didn't need to look to know it was Tom doing that.

"Er, but…that…er…that's enough of that!" Station Officer Steele admonished Tom. Tom sheepishly stopped whistling.

"Oh."

I knew I'd have to say something now. "Uh, thank you, sir," I said to Chief Fire Officer Boyce. "But it's really just part of the job. And I couldn't have done it without the rest of the team," I added, gesturing to my colleagues.

"Well said, Sam!" Station Officer Steele agreed.

Elvis darted over to him. "Does that mean I can have a medal too?"

"No, Criddlington! It means, it's time for you to put the kettle on. Hehe! Yes." He turned to Chief Fire Officer Boyce. "Would you care for a cup of tea, sir?"

Realising that formation was over, I followed the others inside the fire station without even looking at my medal. I couldn't wait to get if off and put it away somewhere, where I wouldn't have to look at it ever again.

The opportunity came a little sooner than I'd expected. While everyone else headed upstairs for their tea break, Chief Fire Officer Boyce turned to face me.

"Sam? Why don't you take that medal off before you lose it?"

I promptly did so, and I slipped it into a pocket.

"Excellent. Now, why don't we go and have a little chat outside? It's been quite a while since we've had an opportunity to talk. How are things going for you?"

"Uh, quite well, sir," I replied as we headed out to the back of the fire station.

"You know, I would love to hear your version of events from the night you saved your brother."

I smiled. This would give me a good chance to prove that Elvis deserved a medal just as much as I did, if not more. And so, I began to tell him my version of what happened that night.

When I'd finished, Chief Fire Officer Boyce looked around, like he was ensuring nobody was watching, or listening.

"Sam? I have a little proposition for you…" He handed me a piece of paper. Taking a quick glance at it, I was surprised to see that it was a contract. "You are just the man I need to lead the new Rapid Response Fire Unit in Newtown."

He placed a hand on my shoulder as I took another look at the contract. Then, his words sank in. "What? Lead? Like a Station Officer?"

"Why, yes! In fact, I think you can make Chief Fire Officer one day, Sam. Just like me."

I looked at the contract again to be sure I wasn't imagining this. This was huge! It was a massive opportunity for me to advance my career. "I don't know what to say, sir."

"Say nothing! Just sign here." And he pointed to the signature line on the contract in my hand.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to do just that. In my mind, I desperately wanted to, since it would be very unlikely that I'd ever be given such an opportunity again, but in my heart, I didn't want to leave Pontypandy. How could I? It was my hometown, and I had all my friends and family here.

The tug of war raged inside of me while I read the contract properly. I didn't want to say no, but at the same time I desperately wanted to.

Before I could make up my mind, the alarm went off. "Sorry, sir!" I exclaimed, excusing myself as I leapt into action. I thrust the contract into a pocket. _Whew! Saved by the bell!_

"Sam!" Station Officer Steele yelled from the doorway. "Mike Flood's fallen off the boathouse roof into the harbour."

"Sounds like a job for Neptune, sir," I told him automatically.

"You're right," Station Officer Steele agreed with me. "Penny, you'd better get going. Sam, you'd better go too."

I ran inside the garage, and I grabbed my helmet off the shelf. Then, I ran over to Jupiter and I climbed in the driver's side. Penny climbed in the passenger's side, while I turned on Jupiter's engine, and the siren. As Penny and I were putting out seatbelts on, I took the contract out of my pocket because it wasn't in a very comfortable position. Still stunned, I looked at it again.

"What's that you've got there, Sam?" Penny asked, pointing to the contract. I quickly slipped it into another pocket.

"I-I'll tell you later, Penny." It'd take me a while to tell her, and we needed to hurry.

Putting Jupiter into gear, I drove her out of the garage. As I did so, I saw Station Officer Steele standing alongside Chief Fire Officer Boyce. I sighed heavily. I had a feeling Chief Fire Officer Boyce was expecting me to sign that contract as soon as I got back.

 _Concentrate, Sam_ , I scolded myself as I drove Jupiter down to the quayside. Luckily, there wasn't much traffic around today, so we didn't get held up at all.

As soon as we arrived at the quay, I parked Jupiter and I leapt out of her. Penny followed me as I ran towards the boathouse. Knowing that every second counted, I started unbuttoning my uniform while I ran.

Inside the boathouse, Penny and I quickly put on our ocean rescue uniforms. "Come on, Penny!" I urged. "Mike won't be able to stay afloat for much longer."

Penny finished putting on her uniform. "Ready Sam!"

We both leapt aboard Neptune. Penny took control of the wheel, and we launched down the ramp.

Mike wasn't too hard to spot. In fact, I didn't even need to tell Penny where he was. She saw him at the same time I did, and she steered Neptune straight over to him.

"Here!" Mike spluttered. "O-over here!"

Penny stopped Neptune alongside Mike.

"Okay, Mike," I said as I leaned over. "Let's get you out of there." I grabbed hold of Mike's left hand, and I started to pull him up.

"Oh! Thanks, Sam!" Mike exclaimed. He tried to help me by pulling on the ropes along Neptune's side, but it didn't make much difference. I struggled to pull him in.

"Wow, Mike!" I exclaimed as I paused to catch my breath. He was a lot heavier than what I'd been expecting! "Have you been having extra chips again?" This time, I managed to pull him safely on board.

"Uh! Oh! No." Mike panted heavily as he caught his breath. "I've still got me toolbelt on!"

Seeing that Mike was now safely on board, Penny started to drive Neptune back to the boathouse.

"He! Whoo! Actually, it was quite refreshing taking a dip in this heat," Mike continued. "It's been so hot these last few days!"

Mike was right. It had been very hot. And dry. We hadn't had any rain for over a week, and the sun's heat was beginning to dry everything out.

A short while later, having dried Mike and ourselves, and changed back into our firefighting uniforms, Penny and I escorted Mike over to his van.

"Well, thanks to you, I can get cracking with all me other jobs," Mike said as he started up his van. "I've still got to fix that door on the lighthouse."

I chuckled. "Well, don't go falling off that, will you?"

"Sam doesn't want to make a habit of collecting hero medals," Penny added. She meant it as a joke, but she wasn't wrong.

"Hehe! Yeah, right," Mike chuckled. "All right, bye!"

I waved to Mike as he drove off. Then, Penny and I headed over to Jupiter.

"Well? Come on then," Penny said. "What did Chief Fire Officer Boyce give you?"

My smile faded into a frown. "He's offered me a Station Officer's post in Newtown," I explained as I took the contract out of my pocket to show her.

"Hey, nice one!" Penny replied enthusiastically. "In charge of your own station, eh? So, when are you going to let him know?"

I looked at the contract again. "I think he wants it signed by the end of the day."

"Oh, well, Pontypandy's going to miss you, Sam," Penny said kindly as she opened Jupiter's passenger side door.

"Yes," I agreed as she climbed inside. "And I'm going to miss Pontypandy." I glanced at the contract again. _Oh, dear! Why did she have to go and say that? How on earth am I going to make the right decision? Okay, Sam, think logically. What's more important? Myself and my career, or looking after the citizens of Pontypandy?_

Before I could answer that question, I heard the familiar honk of Trevor's bus. Looking up, I saw the bus pulling in across the street, so I went over to it. Trevor leaned out of the window to wave at me.

"Lovely day again, Sam! I'm taking the Pontypandy Pioneers camping in the forest."

"Sounds great, Trevor. Uh, but I'm afraid we can't have any campfires. The forest is so dry, a single spark could cause a big fire." I knew imposing a total fire ban would make things difficult for the group, but I couldn't allow the risk. Deep down, I knew I was probably getting a bit out of rank, but keeping everyone safe was far more important than worrying about what my superior officers might say. Anyway, I was sure they'd agree with me.

"You can count on me, Sam," Trevor said. "I used to be a boy scout, you know."

 _Yes, Trevor, I know…_

"Bye!"

Trevor drove away, and I went back over to Jupiter. Leaning over, Penny kindly opened the driver's side door for me, and I climbed inside.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 3

Even though I'd been hoping that Chief Fire Officer Boyce would be gone by the time Penny and I arrived back at the fire station, I wasn't in luck. As I started to make my way upstairs, I heard him talking to Elvis and Station Officer Steele in the kitchen.

"I think I'll go and play with Radar out the back," I told Penny quietly. "Let me know when Station Officer Steele is free for me to talk to him."

"Don't you want to tell Chief Fire Officer Boyce your decision?" Penny wondered.

"No, because I haven't decided yet."

"Oh, okay."

Penny seemed surprised that I hadn't made up my mind yet. I didn't know why. It wasn't as simple as saying 'Yes'. Then again, she was from Newtown, and I'm sure that if she was ever given the opportunity for a promotion there, she'd take it without hesitation. Sighing, I headed outside to find Radar. I found him sleeping in the shade under the back stairs.

A few minutes later, Penny came outside. "Station Officer Steele is in his office now, Sam."

"Thanks, Penny."

Leaving Radar, I headed inside the garage. I couldn't see Chief Fire Officer Boyce, so I knocked on the closed office door.

"Sam!"

I groaned inwardly. He'd seen me!

"Sam, I need a quick word."

"Uh, I'm just going to talk with Station Officer Steele in his office, sir." I hoped he'd get the hint that I wanted a private discussion with Station Officer Steele. He didn't.

"Oh, well…"

"Yes, Sam!"

As soon as I heard Station Officer Steele's voice, I entered the office, giving him a quick salute. Chief Fire Officer Boyce followed me.

"Uh, sir, I think we need to put some warning signs up at the forest," I said. "It's so hot and dry, just one spark and it could go up in flames."

"Oh, yes, that's a good-"

"Great idea, Sam!" Chief Fire Officer Boyce interrupted. "You can never be too careful."

Feeling uncomfortable, I looked back at Station Officer Steele. "Uh, and I was wondering if Tom Thomas should do a sweep of the forest in his helicopter, just to check for fire."

"Oh! I like your thinking, Sam!" Chief Fire Officer Boyce praised as he patted my shoulder.

"Uh, thank you, sir." I looked back at Station Officer Steele. "Uh, sirs. Erm…" Feeling very uncomfortable, I made my way over to the door.

"Er, Sam?"

Chief Fire Officer Boyce's voice made me freeze in my tracks. Reluctantly, I turned to face him.

"Ha-have you got anything for me yet?"

I hesitated thoughtfully, trying to figure out what to say. "Uh, not quite, sir. Um, I'd better be going." Closing the door behind me, I hurried away to fetch the warning signs.

 _Perhaps I should do everything I can to avoid Chief Fire Office Boyce, until I've made up my mind. Better not let Elvis know. I don't want him trying to influence my decision as well._

…

About an hour later, Elvis and I were out in the forest with Radar, putting up the warning signs. I watched as Elvis hammered one into the ground. As soon as he'd finished, he looked straight at me.

"So, come on, Sam. What's your secret?'

I was shocked. _Where on earth did that come from? And how did he know? Did Penny tell him? She'd better not have…_

"Erm… What do you mean?"

"I mean, how do I get myself a medal like yours? How can I be a hero?"

 _Oh! So, that's what this was all about! Whew!_ "Oh! Uh… There's no secret to it, Elvis. You see something that needs doing, and you do it." _Although I guess it just comes instinctively to me now, considering I've been the lead fireman for so long._ "And I certainly don't feel like a hero," I added, hoping that Elvis would realise that you don't need medals to be rewarded for saving people.

Picking up the remaining warning signs, I continued on down the path. Elvis and Radar followed me.

"What is it about you and Station Officer Steele?" Elvis wondered. "You both get medals, and you don't want anything to do with them. I'd wear mine every day. And night!"

I stopped abruptly. "I didn't know Station Officer Steele had a medal too." _Aside from his twenty-five-year service medal, of course._

"Yes! He's a hero! Huh! But he doesn't like to talk about it." Elvis took the warning signs out of my hand, and he walked away.

 _Wow! I guess Station Officer Steele and I have a lot more in common than I thought._ I took the contract out of my pocket so I could look at it again. It was starting to get worn out from the number of times I'd looked at it.

I sighed with annoyance. Then I looked down at Radar. "Do you think I should take this new job in Newtown, Radar?"

Radar whined sadly in response. Then he barked twice, as if to say, 'No, way!'.

I sighed again. "I'd miss you too, boy."

Picking up a nearby stick, I threw it as hard as I could. Radar ran after it. I then followed Elvis down the path to finish putting up the rest of the signs.

Before long, we'd finished putting up all the signs, and we returned to where I'd parked Jupiter. Just as we arrived, Tom flew in overhead in Wallaby One. Seconds later, my walkie-talkie started crackling as a message came through.

" _Tom to Sam? Tom to Sam? Do you read me? Over?_ "

Putting the walkie-talkie to my mouth, I pressed the push-to-talk button. "Loud and clear, Tom. Anything to report from up there?"

" _It's all clear, Sam. Er, there's no smoke. No fire._ "

"Thanks, Tom." I gave him a wave, indicating that he could go now. Tom flew away in Wallaby One. I turned to face Elvis. "Okay, Elvis. I'm off to the station."

"I'll stay here with Radar, Sam," Elvis said. "Just to be on the safe side."

I smiled. "Good idea, Elvis. You'd better take the walkie-talkie." And I tossed it over to him. Elvis made a bad catch, so he juggled it for a moment until he could get a hold of it. I waved at Radar. "Bye, Radar. Enjoy your walkies."

Hearing his favourite word, Radar leapt up, placing his front paws on my chest. Caught off-guard, I accidentally knocked my contract out of my pocket, but I didn't notice. Instead, I laughed at Radar's antics. He barked and wagged his tail happily in response. "Down, boy!"

It was then that I realised that Elvis had seen the contract, because he picked it up. I sighed despondently while he read it. _Oh, no!_

"What's this?" Elvis asked with surprise. "You're leaving!"

"I don't know, Elvis," I told him firmly as I took the contract back and returned it to my pocket. "I haven't made up my mind yet."

"I think you'd make a brilliant Station Officer!" Elvis told me sincerely.

"Thanks, Elvis."

"And just think, if you did go to Newtown, I'd get to drive Jupiter!"

I forced a chuckle, and I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, uh, that would be a comfort, Elvis." _Not really_ , I thought as I made my way over to the stile _. That's another thing I'd miss. Jupiter._ She meant a lot to me, probably because I'd been driving her for almost my entire career. I know it seems silly getting sentimental over a fire engine, but I would be extremely upset if anything bad ever happened to her.

Using just one hand, I jumped expertly over the stile. Behind me, I heard Elvis talking to Radar.

"Okay, Radar. Walkies!"

With a bark, Radar leapt onto Elvis, knocking him over. Elvis yelped in surprise. Turning, I saw that Radar had pinned Elvis to the ground.

"G-get off!" Elvis exclaimed, laughing. "Radar, no! Hey! That's in my ear!"

I wanted to laugh along too, but right now, I just had too much weighing on my mind. With a heavy heart, I walked around the front of Jupiter, and I climbed into the driver's seat. I gave the fire engine a fond pat on her dash board before I drove away down the road.

As I drove back towards Pontypandy, I thought long and hard about the contract. _Do I really want a desk job? I know I wouldn't be doing paperwork all the time, but I do love being on the front line, leading the other firefighters. Then again, at my age, being prompted to Station Officer is a huge achievement. Most firefighters don't even get considered for that post until they're at least twice my age!_

Again, the battle raged in my mind while I tossed up the pros and cons of leaving. In fact, I became so caught up in my own thoughts that I almost overshot the fire station's driveway,

 _Whoops! I hope nobody saw that_ , I thought as I quickly reversed Jupiter to the point where I could safely turn her into the driveway. After I'd parked her perfectly on the turntable, I got out. Seeing nobody around, I snuck upstairs to the kitchen. To my great relief, Penny was the only one in there.

"Perfect timing, Sam! I've just brewed up a fresh batch of tea."

"Great! I could do with a drink. It's really hot out there."

I sat down at the table, and Penny prepared my drink.

"Is Chief Fire Officer Boyce still here?" I asked as Penny brought over my tea.

"Yes. Why? Are you trying to avoid him, or something?'

"Yes. He keeps pestering me about that contract, and I need time to think about it."

"Well, I think you should take it. Promotions like this don't come up very often. And who knows? You could end up back here as Station Officer."

"I was expecting that to happened when Station Officer Steele retires," I muttered as I took a sip of the tea.

The alarm sounded then. Setting my cup of tea down on the kitchen table, I dashed over to the fireman's pole and I slid down it. Penny followed hot on my heels.

" _Helen Flood caught in man-trap!_ " Station Officer Steele announced over the loudspeakers. " _Location, the forest! Quick as you can!_ "

"This is a new one on me, Sam," Penny said as I clipped my helmet on.

"That's what I love about this place, Penny! You never know what's going to happen next. Now, let's rescue Helen!"

We dashed over to Jupiter, and I climbed into the driver's seat. I had the engine and siren going before Penny had even opened the passenger side door. As soon as she was safely inside, I drove Jupiter out of the garage.

 _Something's missing_ , I thought as I drove down the narrow streets. Then I remembered. _Elvis!_ I quickly activated the radio. "Sir! I've just remembered! Elvis is already at the forest. He might be able to get to Helen quicker."

" _Good thinking, Sam!_ " Station Officer Steele said over the radio.

"I'll get him on the walkie-talkie. Out."

Penny handed over the walkie-talkie. I slowed Jupiter to a safer speed, so I could use the walkie-talkie with one hand. "Sam to Elvis? Come in, Elvis."

" _Reading you loud and clear, Sam!_ " Elvis replied.

"Listen to me very carefully, Elvis. Helen Flood is caught in a man-trap in the forest. We're on our way, but I think you'll be able to get to her much quicker."

" _Helen? Caught in a man-trap? You can count on me, Sam!_ "

I handed the walkie-talkie back to Penny. Then, I put my foot down again. Jupiter surged forwards smoothly.

"Hopefully, Elvis will get to her first," I said. "But the forest is huge! It could take us ages to find her."

"Not unless Radar finds her first," Penny pointed out.

I raised my eyebrows. "Of course! Let's hope that Radar can find her before she gets dehydrated or worse."

"Why don't we stop and see if Trevor and the Pioneers know where she is?" Penny suggested.

"Great idea, Penny! We'll find their campsite first. Hopefully, Elvis will have found her by then."

We'd left the town by then, and we were now out on the Newtown Road. Penny crouched down a little, so she could look up at the sky.

"Looks like there's a big storm coming!"

I looked too. "Yes. I think your- Hey! Look at the lighthouse!"

In the distance, we could see the lighthouse beacon flashing on and off repeatedly.

"Isn't that where Mike is?" Penny wondered.

I stopped Jupiter with a small jerk, which automatically turned off the siren. I didn't mean to brake so hard, but that was the least of my concerns now. We both stared at the lighthouse to see what was going on.

 _I hope Mike hasn't broken it! With a storm on the way, that's the last thing we need! Hang on… There are short flashes and long flashes. Whatever Mike's doing, it seems to be deliberate._

"It's a code!" I realised. _Morse code too, probably. Okay, let's see now…_ "F-O-R-E-S-T-F-I-R-T." I was confused. "What's a forest firt?"

Penny gasped. "Forest fire! Look!"

I looked at where she was pointing. A thick column of smoke was rising from the centre of the forest. _Great fires of London!_ "Oh! That's not good!" I said, stating the obvious. "We'd better call Station Officer Steele." I activated the radio just before I hit the accelerator again. Penny turned the siren back on. "Jupiter to base! Jupiter to base!"

" _Ah! Sam!_ " Chief Fire Officer Boyce replied. I groaned inwardly. " _Chief Fire Officer Boyce here._ "

 _You don't need to tell me that, sir! I'd know your voice anywhere._ "Oh, er, hello, sir."

" _So, er, uh, have you come to a decision yet?_ "

 _Not now, sir! We don't have time for this…_ "Er, not yet, sir. Uh, I'm sorry, but we have a situation here."

" _Give it to me!_ " I heard Station Officer Steel say as he grabbed the microphone from Boyce. " _Sam? It's Steele. What's the problem?_ "

"We can see smoke coming from the forest."

Station Officer Steele gasped. " _And where there's smoke…_ "

"… _There's fire!_ " Chief Fire Officer Boyce finished.

I rolled my eyes as the radio went silent. _Great detective work there, geniuses!_ I glanced across at Penny. "Do you sometimes wonder how those two ever got their promotions?"

"I think it's called 'old age', Sam," Penny giggled.

I snorted a laugh. "I wonder if Elvis and Radar have found Helen yet?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 4

I was still driving Jupiter towards the forest, when the walkie-talkie crackled. Penny handed it to me.

" _Hi, Sam!_ " Elvis said. " _I've got Helen and Mandy with me._ "

I smiled. At least Helen was okay. Now we could focus on ensuring that the Pioneers were safe too. "Good work, Elvis! Any sign of the Pioneers?"

" _No! Not yet. There's smoke everywhere, Sam!_ "

"I know, Elvis! You'd better find them quickly. They could be in danger. There's a fire spreading from the centre of the forest. We've got to get everyone out!"

" _I'll keep looking! Over and out._ "

 _Please find them, Elvis!_

A few minutes later, I saw Trevor's bus parked in the small carpark at the picnic ground. It was a good place to set up an evacuation zone, because of the clearing, so I turned Jupiter into the carpark and parked her.

Penny and I scrambled out of Jupiter. I jumped over the stone wall, while Penny took the slightly longer route through the gate. Penny pointed into the forest.

"It looks like this fire has really taken!"

"We'd better get the hoses ready!" I decided. _Even with Jupiter's large tanks, we may only be able to slow the fire down. Hopefully, Tom can contain it from his helicopter._

My walkie-talkie crackled again, so I held it up to my ear. Tom flew by overhead in Wallaby One.

" _Hi, Sam!_ " Tom said. " _Uh, this is looking bad! I-I can see the fire spreading in all directions!_ "

"Can you drop water on it to slow it down?" I suggested hopefully.

" _Will do, Sam. Uh, but this place is so dry, it's not gonna put it out!_ "

That wasn't the news I was hoping to hear. "We've got to try, Tom."

I watched Tom fly away to collect some water. Penny ran past me carrying a fire hose. I looked up at the gathering clouds.

"Come on, storm!" I begged. "This way! We need you now!"

I looked at Penny. It was time for me to tell her what was on my mind. After all, it was my job as lead fireman to ensure that my team knew exactly what they were up against.

"We're not going to be able to stop it, Penny," I told her softly, expressing my true thoughts to her. "This fire is already out of control, and given the wind direction, it's going to head straight for Pontypandy."

Penny nodded sadly as the full realisation of my words sunk in.

"The least we can do is to slow it down enough to give us time to evacuate everyone," I continued. "Our only hope of saving Pontypandy rests in that storm." I pointed to the clouds in the distance.

"I understand, Sam," Penny whispered. I could see tears welling up in her eyes.

Realising that she needed some reassurance, I went over to her and I pulled her into a tight hug. "It'll be okay, Penny. Our job now is to make sure no one is lost. If that means letting the town burn, so be it. It can be rebuilt."

Penny buried her head against my chest. "You're scared too, aren't you?"

I was surprised. "How do you know that?"

"Your heart is beating a million miles an hour. But it's okay. I know you have a lot on your mind right now. I don't know if this will help, but one of my instructors in basic training once told me something I'll never forget."

"And what was that?"

"Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the action in the face of fear."

Pulling out of our embrace, we smiled at each other.

"Thanks, Penny. I needed to hear that. Now, can you set up the other hose, please?"

"Rodger that, Sam!"

Hearing my walkie-talkie crackle once more, I held it up to my ear.

" _Elvis to Sam! Can you hear me?_ "

"Loud and clear."

" _I have the Pioneers with me now, but we can't seem to find our way out of the forest, and the smoke's getting thicker now._ "

I could tell from Elvis' tone of voice that he was starting to panic. _Keep calm… I'm the lead fireman. I need to calm him down so I can help him._ "Okay, Elvis. Can you see what direction the smoke is coming from?"

" _It's all around us, Sam!_ "

While Elvis was speaking, Penny ran past with the second fire hose. I could also hear Venus' approaching siren. _Good! We've got some back-up at last!_

" _Hey!_ " Elvis exclaimed. " _Is that a siren I can hear?_ "

"Yes," Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Station Officer Steele park Venus between Jupiter and Trevor's bus. "Station Officer Steele's just arrived." Venus's siren cut out. _Hang on a minute! If Elvis can hear Venus' siren, that means he must be closer than I thought._ Turning, I pointed to my boss. "Sir! Leave the siren on!"

Station Officer Steele looked a bit confused. "Huh? Oh, oh, okay, Sam!" And he turned Venus' siren back on.

I turned my attention back to the walkie-talkie. "Follow the noise of the siren, Elvis," I instructed Elvis as calmly as I could. "It will lead you to safety."

" _Great idea, Sam!_ " Elvis replied. He sounded very relieved. " _Over and out._ "

"Come on, Elvis!" I encouraged. "You can do it!"

A moment later, Mike Flood arrived in his van. "Any sign of them?" he asked as he stopped beside me.

"Elvis is with them now," I explained. "They're following the noise of the siren."

"Come on, Criddlington!" I heard Station Officer Steele mutter. "Where are you?"

A few minutes later, I saw Radar emerge from the smoke. He barked happily as he ran towards me. "Oh, good boy!" I praised as he placed his front paws on my chest. I chuckled when he licked my face. "Well done, Radar!"

Elvis, Mandy, Sarah, James, Helen, Dilys, Trevor, Norman and Derek all emerged from the smoke then. Some of them were coughing, but I knew from experience that their smoke inhalation wasn't too serious. They're recover in a few minutes if they kept away from the smoke.

"Dad!" Mandy exclaimed as she ran into Mike's outstretched arms.

"Mandy! Helen!" Mike cried joyously as the Flood family were reunited. "Oh! Am I glad to see you too!"

Elvis walked straight over to Station Officer Steele.

"Well done, Criddlington!" Station Officer Steele praised. "You're a credit to the force! I shall remember what you've done today." And he handed Elvis his firefighting helmet.

"Oh! Thank you, sir."

I beckoned for everyone to move well away from the smoke. "That's it! Keep coming over here, everyone." Hearing the whirring of rotor blades overhead, I looked up. Wallaby One had just arrived back. "Here's Tom with the water!" I held the walkie-talkie up to my mouth. "Okay, Tom! The forest's clear!"

" _Thanks, Sam! Fingers crossed everyone!_ "

I watched as Tom sprayed Wallaby One's bucket of water over the centre of the forest.

"Let's hope this works!" Station Officer Steele said behind me.

 _I hope so too, sir._

"I'm sorry, guys," Tom said over the walkie-talkie. "The fire's really taken! Uh, I'll keep dampening it down, but that forest is just too dry."

I felt a knot of fear form in my stomach. It was just as I'd suspected. We were on our own now.

"The fire is heading straight for us, Sam!" Station Officer Steele exclaimed. "Which means, it's heading straight for Pontypandy."

If he expected me to be shocked, he was wrong. I already knew that. "I think we'd better let everyone know the worst, sir," I told him calmly.

"Yes… I think you're right, Sam."

Station Officer Steele walked over to the group of civilians, who were busy talking about how they'd escaped the fire.

"Can I have everyone's attention?"

Everyone promptly stopped talking, and they looked at Station Officer Steele.

"Good people of Pontypandy. As you are all aware, we are under great threat. If the predicted storm doesn't hit soon, and quell the fire, then I'm afraid we must evacuate the town."

Naturally, everyone was shocked by the news. A collective gasp rose from the group.

"What?" Mike exclaimed. "Leave Pontypandy?"

"What about my shop?" Dilys wondered.

"And my café?" Bronwyn asked. She and Charlie had just arrived at the scene on foot.

I immediately felt sorry for my sister-in-law. She loved her café just as much as I loved Jupiter and the fire station. The thought of watching it all burn sickened me, but I knew I had to keep my mind focused on the task at hand.

Norman stepped towards Station Officer Steele. "What about reinforcements?" he suggested. "Surely other fire engines will come?"

 _If only they could, Norman. If only they could…_

"What about the new Rapid Response Service in Newtown," Trevor asked.

I flinched. _Did he have to bring that up now?_

"Everyone's at full stretch," Station Officer Steele told them gravely. "The fire's spread right along the coast."

"So, we're on our own?" Mike said, stating the obvious.

"I'm afraid so," Station Officer Steele confirmed.

"Then count me in!" Charlie volunteered. "I'll help fight this fire."

"Count me in as well!" Trevor added.

"Not without me, Trevor!" Dilys told him firmly.

"And me!" Bronwyn said.

"Me too," Helen agreed.

"I'm with you, love!" Mike added.

I was touched, and extremely proud of my friends and family. It would be risky, since they'd never had any training fighting fires this big, but right now, we needed all the man-power, and woman-power, we could get.

"Very well!" Station Officer Steele agreed. "You are all officially volunteer firemen, and, er, women. Your town needs you, like it's never needed you before!"

"You can count on us too!" Norman and Derek said in unison.

 _Uh, oh!_ "That's very brave of you," I said firmly. "But this is a job for the grown-ups. Sorry, boys."

"Oh!" Norman and Derek grumbled.

I turned my attention to the task at hand. While Station Officer Steele had been speaking, Elvis had retrieved all the beaters from Jupiter and Venus.

"The rest of you, you can use those beaters to flatten the grass down at the edge of the forest, while we damp it down!" I instructed the civilians.

"No problem, Sam!" Mike said as he took one of the beaters from Elvis.

"But please, keep a safe distance!" I reminded them. "If we can cut off the fire's fuel supply, and keep the heat down with the hoses, we may just stop it in its tracks." It was a long-shot, and I knew it, but maybe luck would be on our side.

Hearing Wallaby One returning with another bucketful of water, I looked up at the sky. Tom flew by, heading towards the forest.

"But what we really need is rain," I mused as Tom dropped the bucket of water on the flames. "And lots of it!" I looked at the growing clouds. "And that storm looks like our only hope."

"Get behind the wall, please, kids!" Trevor instructed.

Rather reluctantly, the children obeyed. Dilys went with them. Now that they were safely out of the way, we turned our attention to the fire.

I watched as the civilian volunteers used the beaters to flatten the grass. Penny and Elvis had started dampening down the edge of the forest with water from Jupiter's tanks. Station Officer Steele had connected the remaining two hoses to Venus' tank – one for him, and one for me.

"Will this hold it back, Penny?" Elvis asked Penny anxiously.

"I don't know, Elvis," Penny replied. "But it's all we can do right now."

Seeing the fire moving through the trees towards us, the civilian volunteers stopped beating the grass, and they stood there watching the fire draw closer. I picked up the fourth hose. Then, I took my position on the front line, ready to do everything I could to contain the blaze.

"It's coming," I declared as I lowered my visor. "Back everyone!" I ordered Trevor, Charlie, Bronwyn, Helen and Mike. Then, I turned my hose on.

"Behind the fire engines!" Station Officer Steele ordered the civilians. "Quick as you can!"

Now, it was just Station Officer Steele, Penny, Elvis and I battling the blaze. We trained our hoses on the nearest burning trees.

"Hold your position!" Station Officer Steele ordered us. Just when I thought we were actually starting to contain it, I heard the familiar sound of a tree branch cracking.

"Look out. Sam!" I heard Mike shout behind me.

Looking up, I saw a flaming pine tree branch falling straight towards me!

 **I hope you all enjoyed that little moment between Sam and Penny. This chapter marks the halfway point in this story. Yay! I am working on the next one now, but I won't start posting any chapter from it until I've finished this story.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 5

"Argh!" I screamed as I dropped the hose. There was no time to run, so I instinctively held my hands up to protect my face from the potential burns I expected to receive at the very least. That branch was large enough to kill me!

The branch had almost reached me, when I felt something push me sideways. "Oof!" I gasped as I landed heavily on my back. I was winded for a few seconds.

"Are you okay, Sam?" I heard Elvis ask me as I gasped for air.

"Well done young Criddlington!" Station Officer Steele praised, while I struggled to sit up. "I won't forget that."

"Thanks, Elvis!" I panted, realising that Elvis had pushed me to safety. I placed a hand on his shoulder. "You saved my life! I told you your time would come."

"Retreat, everyone!" Station Officer Steele ordered. Penny and Elvis immediately began packing up the hoses. "Back to the fire station to pick up Chief Fire Officer Boyce! Then, down to the harbour! This fire is out of control!"

Elvis and I leapt to our feet and we started to run back to the fire engines.

"You were right," Elvis said as we ran. "I just did it without thinking."

"Sign of a true hero, Elvis," I told him as I ran around to Jupiter's driver's side door. I climbed inside and started her up.

Mike, Helen and Mandy left first in the van, followed by Station Officer Steele and Penny in Venus. Trevor went next with his bus and everyone else, leaving Elvis and I in Jupiter to bring up the rear of the convoy. Elvis activated Jupiter's siren.

"I can't believe this is really happening, Elvis," I muttered as I drove down the Newtown Road towards Pontypandy.

"I know, Sam," Elvis replied sadly.

"We need to make sure nobody goes back to their homes. If we let them go back to collect things, they may not be able to get out in time."

Elvis nodded in understanding. A moment later, the radio came on.

" _Sam?_ " Station Officer Steele said.

"Yes, sir?"

" _Are you okay?_ "

I knew what he was referring to. "I'm fine, sir, thanks to Elvis."

" _Good. When we get to the quayside, we'll need to launch 'Operation Nightlight'. I'll inform HQ that we've evacuated the town, and that we'll need emergency aid._ "

"Understood, sir," I replied, and the radio conversation ended. He didn't need to say anything else. 'Operation Nightlight' was the code for our emergency evacuation procedure. Although we'd rehearsed it several times over the years, I never imagined that we'd ever actually need to use it.

"Right, Elvis, do you remember what you need to do for 'Operation Nightlight'?"

"Yes, Sam. I make sure we have enough first-aid kits, blankets and water for everyone."

"Good. And I'll be assisting Station Officer Steele in ensuring that the whole town is evacuated, and that everyone is accounted for."

Minutes later, we arrived back at the fire station. After I'd reversed Jupiter up the driveway, Elvis jumped down to go and fetch all of the emergency aid supplies we had. Penny hurried over to the garage lockers to collect all the spare radios, walkie-talkies and flares. Meanwhile, Station Officer Steele got out of Venus to ensure we were all carrying out our jobs properly. I got down from Jupiter.

"I'll get Chief Fire Officer Boyce, sir!" I told Station Officer Steele as I ran past him.

"I'll come with you, Sam!" he replied. "I want to take a last look…"

I burst inside the office. Chief Fire Officer Boyce looked up in surprise. "The forest fire is out of control, sir," I explained quickly. "We're evacuating the town. You need to come with us now, sir."

Chief Fire Officer Boyce followed me without saying a word. I guessed he knew just how dire our situation was now.

Having gathered everything we'd need, I ran over to the garage control panel. I couldn't believe I was really doing this. I hesitated for a moment as a wave of emotion swept over me. This was it. Life as I knew it would never been the same again. Pontypandy, my beloved hometown, was about to be destroyed by the very element I'd devoted my life to fighting. This was never supposed to happen!

With a heavy sigh, I pressed the button to close the garage doors. Then, I ran out of the garage while they were closing. Glancing to the right, I saw Station Officer Steele closing the front door for the final time. He gave the door a fond pat.

"I'm sorry, Pontypandy," Station Officer Steele said, his voice full of emotion. "But we tried everything we could."

Chief Fire Officer Boyce placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's time to go, Norris."

I didn't hear Station Officer Steele's reply, because I was already heading back over to Jupiter. I resisted the urge to glance back over my shoulder. I wanted to remember the fire station as it was, and I didn't want anything to ruin that memory.

Penny and Elvis had climbed into Venus, after putting all of the emergency aid and equipment into her rear tray. Station Officer Steele spoke loudly as I climbed into Jupiter's driver's seat.

"Okay! Let's go! We'll rendezvous at the quay."

One by one, we started our respective vehicles' engines. I waited for Station Officer Steele and Chief Fire Officer Boyce to climb inside Jupiter, before I turned on the siren. Driving cautiously because of the ever-thickening smoke haze, I lead the convoy down the driveway, and I headed towards the quay.

The journey to the quay was a silent one inside Jupiter's cab. I guess none of us knew what to say at that moment. I know I didn't. Jupiter's siren sounded sadder that it ever had before. I suppose that she realised that we were going to have to abandon her and Venus, along with the town.

When we'd reached the quay, I parked Jupiter as close to the water's edge as I could. I hoped that the flames would by-pass the quay, and leave our faithful old fire engines alone. Penny parked Venus in front of the boathouse.

Picking up the town's evacuation checklist, Station Officer Steele got out of Jupiter, followed by Chief Fire Officer Boyce, while I shut down her engine for what I believed would be the very last time. As I climbed down from the cab, I wiped a few tears from my eyes. Closing Jupiter's door, I gave the fire engine a farewell pat.

In the distance, I could hear Station Officer Steele ensuring that the townsfolk were all accounted for as they made their way down the quayside steps to Charlie's boat. I knew I needed to help him, but right now, my mind was too clouded with despairing thoughts to enable me to think straight.

Penny jogged towards the boathouse. She seemed to realise that I was starting to drift towards a state of shock, so she did the right thing by trying to snap me out of it. "Sam? Can you help Elvis with the emergency supplies, please?"

I nodded slowly. Then, I started to make my way towards Venus. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Radar arrive with Woolley and Lambykins. Station Officer Steele marked them off his list.

"Radar… Er, Woolley and her lamb…check!"

"Lambykins!" Norman told him rudely.

"Er, yes! Lambykins…"

I paused halfway between Jupiter and Venus, and I took the contract out of my pocket. "Well, goodbye, Pontypandy," I said, not caring if anyone heard me. A second later, a gust of wind blew the contract out of my hand. Gasping, I chased after it. It was all I had left now.

As I retrieved the contract, I heard an unfamiliar, metallic screeching sound.

"What?"

Confused, I turned and looked up at the top of the boathouse. My eyes widened in surprise when I realised what was making the sound. _The wind turbine! How could I have forgotten about that?_ But then, I realised that the wind turbine had turned. The wind direction had changed! That meant, with any luck, that the wind would start blowing the forest fire away from Pontypandy! I held my breath, waiting and hoping for mother nature to save the town.

Everyone was silent for a moment, but then I heard Charlie's voice coming from his boat down on the water. "The clouds! Look!"

Sure enough, dark, heavy rainclouds were sweeping in fast overhead. Then, I heard it. It was the unmistakable sound of heavy raindrops falling. I smiled as Penny ran over to me, dressed in her ocean rescue wetsuit.

"Can you feel it?" she asked me excitedly, holding out her hands. "Rain!"

I held out my hands too, to receive the rain as it began falling from the sky. I was just too overwhelmed to speak. Our hopes and prayers had been answered! However, I knew the danger wasn't quite over yet. _What is the fire doing now?_ I wondered.

My walkie-talkie crackled. Tom had already started speaking before I could remove it from my pocket. He sounded very excited. " _Tom to Sam? Tom to Sam! The fire's going out! The rain's done it, mate!_ "

I couldn't contain my grin now. Pontypandy was safe! "Fantastic news, Tom! See you later! Out!" There were no words to describe how I felt at that moment.

Thunder rumbled overhead as everyone began cheering and talking excitedly in the rain. I burst out laughing when I saw Trevor and Dilys start dancing in the rain. They looked so cute together!

But then, in our moment of joy, I saw Radar run over to Norman's backpack, which he had just thrown into the air. As soon as it had landed on the cobblestones, Radar began rummaging through it. Through the driving rain, I saw him pull something out of the backpack.

"What on earth is that?" I wondered.

"Sausages!" Station Officer Steele exclaimed. Everyone promptly stopped celebrating, and they turned to look at Norman, Derek and Radar, who was shaking the tray of sausages in his mouth.

I gasped in shock _. Norman?_ I couldn't believe it! I mean, yes, he is a mischief-maker and rather disobedient at times, but an arsonist?

Dilys gasped loudly. "So! That's why I could smell sausages! Were you cooking in the bushes, Norman?"

"You mean, you made a campfire?" Station Officer Steele exclaimed as he, and everyone else surrounded Norman and Derek. Chief Fire Officer Boyce stepped closer to me. I stayed where I was, frozen from shock.

 _After all the warnings I gave too! How could he have been so stupid?_

Hurt and bitterly disappointed by Norman's selfish behaviour, I listened to Station Officer Steele give Norman a public scolding.

"Oh! Norman Price! You've done it this time! Right! Where's your mother?"

Dilys pushed Station Officer Steele aside. "I will make sure he is properly dealt with at home, Station Officer Steele! You naughty boy!"

Chief Fire Officer Boyce moved even closer to me. "Well done, Fireman Sam! You kept those flames at bay until the rain came!"

 _No, I didn't, sir. Then again, you weren't there, so you'll never be able to understand what really happened. I'm not a hero. Elvis is. I nearly died out there today, but he saved my life._

"Quite a job!" Chief Fire Officer Boyce finished proudly.

"Thank you, sir. But it was a team effort." I put a lot of emphasis into the last sentence, hoping he'd get the message.

"Oh! Quite, quite! So… Have you come to a decision about the new job?"

"Yes, I have, sir," I replied without hesitation. I took the contract out of my pocket. _How could I have even considered leaving? This is my home, and I'd be miserable without it. Besides, a desk job can wait until I'm older. I'd rather stay on the frontline for now._ "Here you are."

I handed over the contract, unsigned. Then, I held my breath, waiting to hear what Chief Fire Officer Boyce had to say about my decision.

 _He'll probably tell me I'm a fool for not accepting…_

"Well…" Chief Fire Officer Boyce placed a hand on my shoulder. "I think you've made the right decision, Sam." He held out his hand for me to shake. I did so, but I was shocked to see that he understood completely.

 _I've had enough shocks for one day!_ I thought as I sank to the ground, completely spent. Chief fire Officer Boyce looked down at me in surprise.

"Are you okay, Sam?"

"Just exhausted," I whispered in reply. "Today has been a mammoth rollercoaster of emotions for me, and right now, I just want to go home and sleep for a week!"

"Oh! Yes, I'd forgotten how stressful it was to be a lead fireman. Sorry if I put too much pressure on you today."

"That's all right, sir," I muttered as I lay down on the cobblestones in the rain. Sleep couldn't come fast enough for me, and I didn't care if I spent the whole night sleeping out in the rain on the hard cobblestones.

Hearing running footsteps approaching, I quickly realised that wasn't going to happen. Helen knelt beside me, and she grabbed my wrist to feel my pulse. I could hear a distant humming as everyone began talking at once.

"Sam? Can you hear me?" Helen called anxiously.

"Now, don't panic, everyone!" Chief Fire Officer Boyce said loudly. "Fireman Sam has just collapsed from exhaustion, so could you all please just move back and give him some space."

I blinked open my eyes to show Helen that I was still conscious. She breathed a sigh of relief. "You're right, Chief Fire Officer Boyce. He is completely exhausted, and I doubt he's had anything to eat since breakfast."

I moaned softly in agreement. Then, I felt Helen and Charlie pulling me to my feet. I didn't even have the strength to walk by myself, so Charlie helped me over to the café.

"It's okay, everyone!" Bronwyn said as she followed us inside. "We'll take good care of Sam, with Helen's help. I'm sure he'll be fine by tomorrow."

And sure enough, I was. However, due to my exhaustion, Station Officer Steele ordered me to take three days off, to ensure I made a full recovery.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 6

A few days later, I went to see Station Officer Steele in his office.

"Come in!" Station Officer Steele called, and so I did.

"Sir, I was wondering if I should go and talk to Norman and Derek? I know Dilys has grounded Norman for a month, but I think they both really need an official warning from the fire service. One that will go on record, I mean."

"Of course, Sam. Actually, I was hoping you'd do that. I haven't quite been able to think of what to say to them. Oh, and before you go, I'd like your thoughts on these recommendations, please."

He handed over two pieces of paper. I knew what they were. They were the forms that were sent to HQ whenever someone was being considered for a promotion or a medal. I smiled when I saw Elvis' name on the first form. Station Officer Steele was recommending him for a medal of Outstanding Bravery.

 _About time too!_

Then I frowned as I looked at the other paper. Station Officer Steele was recommending me for _another_ medal of Outstanding Bravery. I promptly tore that paper up, making Station Officer Steele gasp.

"Wh-what are you doing, Sam?"

"It's simple, sir. Neither you or Chief Fire Officer Boyce, will ever pin another medal on me again! You'll have to catch me, or hold me down, the next time you want to give me one. I've got enough of the wretched things! Saving people, animals and property is a reward all in itself. Besides, I don't like being called a hero, because I wouldn't be one if it wasn't for you and the rest of the crew. Give the medal to Elvis. He deserves it far more than I do, because he saved my life. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and see Norman now."

I left the office before Station Officer Steele could find his voice. Penny and Elvis met me in the garage.

"Uh, Sam?" Penny began. "We were just wondering if you ended up accepting the job in Newtown? With everything that happened that day, I forgot to ask you what you'd decided."

I smiled. "I've decided to stay, Penny."

"Really?" Elvis gasped.

Penny was equally stunned. "But…! You'd make a great Station Officer, Sam!"

"I know, Penny," I said, patting her shoulder as I walked past her. "But I'm not ready for it yet. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and do something very important."

"What is that, Sam?" Elvis wondered.

"I'm going to give Norman and Derek an official warning."

…

A short time later, I approached the Cut Price Supermarket, carrying a briefcase. Derek was sitting in the gutter out the front, bouncing a football between his legs. He looked up when he heard me approaching.

"Oh. Hello, Fireman Sam," he said sadly.

"Hello, Derek. Where's Norman?"

"Upstairs in his room. Auntie Dilys grounded him for a month. He's not allowed out, except to go to the bathroom. It's so boring without him!"

"I see. Why don't you come with me, Derek? I'd like to talk to both you and Norman."

Derek immediately looked frightened. "Why me? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"We'll see about that," I said firmly, as I pushed him inside the shop.

As usual, Dilys was behind her counter. "Hello, Sam. How are you feeling now?"

"Much better," I replied. "Uh, Dilys? I've come here today on official business for the fire service. I need to talk to Norman and Derek somewhere in private, with you as a witness."

"Oh! Of course! Please, follow me."

Following Dilys, I pushed Derek upstairs in front of me.

"This isn't fair!" Derek protested as we entered Norman's bedroom. "I had nothing to do with starting the forest fire!"

"What are you talking about, Derek?" Norman spat crossly from his bed as he sat up. He'd been reading comic books. "It takes two to sizzle a sausage, remember?"

Derek scowled crossly as I sat down on the only chair in the room. "That's enough, you two! The way I see it, you're both to blame for starting the fire."

"Exactly!" Dilys interjected. I held up a hand to silence her.

"Dilys, please don't say anything for now."

"Sorry, Sam."

I turned my attention back to the boys in front of me. "Do either of you know what an arsonist is?"

They both shook their heads. "No, Fireman Sam," they mumbled.

"Okay. An arsonist is someone who deliberately lights fires with the intent to cause damage. Now, I know that you didn't set fire to the forest deliberately, but you deliberately ignored all the warnings about not lighting any fires. A total fire ban means that fires are not to be lit under any circumstances. It applies to everyone; even the Fire Service. If you were both adults, we'd have had no choice but to bring the Newtown police here to arrest you both. You're just lucky that you're both still too young to be considered responsible for your actions. However, that doesn't mean that you're going to be getting away with this."

"Are you going to arrest us, Fireman Sam?" Norman whimpered fearfully.

I almost felt sorry for the trembling boy in front of me. "No, Norman. But I am here today to issue both you and Derek with an official warning from the Fire Service. Your mother will sign the paperwork after I've finished talking to you both and, with your permission, Dilys, I'd like to record what we say next, so Station Officer Steele can have a record of it. I can assure you that it will not be made public under any circumstances, but it will be kept in our archives for a period of five years. Are you happy for me to proceed?"

"Of course, Sam," Dilys agreed.

With Dilys' permission granted, I opened the briefcase, and I took out a small recorder. After I'd pressed the record button, I spoke into it.

"July twenty-one, two-thousand and ten. Eleven-oh-nine a.m. This is a recording of the official verbal warning given to Norman Price and Derek Price by Fireman Samuel Jones of the Pontypandy Fire Brigade, regarding the forest fire that occurred on July twelve. This discussion is being recorded with the verbal permission of Dilys Price." Once I'd completed the introduction, I held the recorder out in front of me.

"Now, Norman, why did you decide to light a fire to cook the sausages, after you were verbally warned by Trevor Evans?"

"I was hungry," Norman replied. "Trevor was teaching us for our Wilderness Badges, but I didn't want to eat bugs and berries and things, so I took the sausages so I could cook them for lunch."

"Do you agree that you acted selfishly?"

"Yes, Fireman Sam," Norman muttered humbly.

"Not only did you put your own life in danger, you also put your friends lives in danger too. Why do you think I said there was to be no campfires?"

"Because it was too hot."

"And dry. It doesn't take much to start a fire under those conditions, Norman. Now, do you understand that what you did was wrong and incredibly dangerous?"

"Yes, Fireman Sam," Norman muttered sadly.

I smiled slightly. Hopefully, the severity of what he'd done was finally starting to sink in.

"Good. Now, Derek… I know you're more safety conscious than Norman, so why didn't you stop him from lighting the fire?"

"I don't know, Fireman Sam," Derek replied with a sad shrug. "I guess I was looking forward to those sausages too."

"But you knew it could easily start a forest fire!"

"Yes, I know, Fireman Sam. But when Auntie Dilys caught us, I thought Norman had put the fire out."

"Oh, Derek!" Dilys exclaimed.

I held up my hand again, and Dilys clapped her hands over her mouth.

"Next time, Derek, if you know that someone is doing the wrong thing, and they won't listen to you, you must report it to an adult. Do you understand what I've just said?"

"Yes, Fireman Sam."

"Good. Thank you, boys."

I stopped the recorder. Then, I handed Dilys the papers for her to sign.

"Would you like a cup of tea, Sam?" Dilys asked as she handed the papers back to me. I slipped them back inside the briefcase, along with the reorder.

"No thanks, Dilys. I need to get going. I hope you boys will be much more sensible from now on."

 _I doubt they will though_ , I thought as I made my way downstairs. _After all, it is Norman!_

 **Honestly, I'm not 100% happy with this chapter, but I felt that Norman deserved more than whatever punishment Dilys could give to him. The official warning is based off an official police warning I witnessed a number of years ago. Please let me know what you think. Sadly, the next chapter will be the last one.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 7

 **A few weeks later:**

Penny, Elvis and I were enjoying a quiet cup of tea in the fire station's kitchen, when Tom entered the room.

"G'day everyone!"

"Hi Tom," we replied in unison.

"You're early this time," Penny added.

"Yeah, I know. I nearly missed the ceremony last time, so I made a special effort to get here early. Has Chief Fire Officer Boyce arrived yet?"

"He's downstairs with Station Officer Steele," I replied, just before taking another sip of my tea.

"You'd better put your medal on, Sam," Penny said, seeing my medal for Outstanding Bravery on the table in front of me. "Didn't Chief Fire Officer Boyce specifically order you to wear it in formation today?"

I groaned. _Trust Penny to remember that!_

"Here. I'll help you with it." And Penny gently pinned it to my uniform.

"Thanks, Penny."

"You should be proud of that medal, Sam. After all, you did earn it."

"Perhaps, but I don't deserve to be rewarded for doing my job."

"Can I have it then, Sam?" Elvis asked hopefully.

The alarm rang. "Special formation outside, now!" Station Officer Steele said over the loudspeakers.

Elvis got to the fireman's pole first. Radar bolted down the stairs. I managed to finish the rest of my tea while Penny and Tom slid down the pole. I was perfectly happy to go last for once, because I knew that today, I was out of the spotlight. _And I couldn't be happier!_

When I'd reached the garage after sliding down the pole, I saw the others scrambling to line up in an orderly manner in front of the garage.

"That's it, firefighters!" Station Officer Steele snapped. "Straighten up! The Pontypandy Pioneers and their parents are here today especially to see this ceremony, so I won't tolerate any sloppiness! Uh, where's Fireman Sam?"

"Right behind you, sir!" I said loudly behind him, making him jump. On the other side of the yard, the Pioneers burst into peals of laughter. Penny, Tom and Elvis also laughed.

"Uh! Get into line, Sam!" Station Officer Steele ordered me. "I've had quite enough of your practical jokes lately…"

"When can I have my plastic spider back, please, sir?" I asked mischievously.

Station Officer Steele snorted indignantly. "That incident was not funny, Fireman Sam!" Then, to himself, he added, "I'll have to have a word with Bronwyn about what she's been feeding you…"

Still chuckling to myself, I fell into line beside Elvis. The day before, I'd slipped a small plastic spider into Station Officer Steele's tea. Needless to say, his reaction when he discovered it sitting in the bottom of his teacup was completely worth me spending the afternoon washing Jupiter and Venus, and having the plastic spider confiscated. Penny, Elvis and I had laughed hysterically for at least ten minutes, much to Station Officer Steele's chagrin. But my sudden, playful attitude had nothing whatsoever to do with Bronwyn's cooking. The truth was, since my near-death experience during the fire, I'd decided to try and lighten up a little. After all, there wasn't any harm in having a bit of fun every now and again, was there?

"Attention!" Chief Fire Officer Boyce snapped. Without even having to think about it, I and the rest of the crew, promptly snapped to attention.

Station Officer Steele picked up a red and gold cushion, and he cleared his throat. "It's a month to the day since the great fire of Pontypandy, when so much was achieved by so few. But one fireman stood out with not one, but two acts of selfless bravery."

Station Officer Steele paused while the Pioneers applauded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elvis take a peek at the applauding audience. He quickly brought himself back to attention when Station Officer Steele resumed his speech.

"Firstly, leading the good people of Pontypandy out of the burning forest to safety, and secondly, saving the life of a fellow fireman, all above and beyond the call of duty!"

"Here! Here!" Chief Fire Officer Boyce interjected.

"So! Would our hero please step forward?"

None of us moved. I saw Elvis looking around at the rest of us, waiting for one of us to move. So, we all did, by taking a step backwards. Elvis was surprised!

"Oh! It's me!" Laughing at his silliness, Elvis took a big step forwards to accept his medal. "Sorry, sir."

Chief Fire Officer Boyce carried the medal over to Elvis, and he pinned it to his uniform. He then saluted Elvis, but instead of saluting back, Elvis looked down at his shiny new medal.

"Oh! Thank you, sir!" Elvis said, and then he saluted Chief Fire Officer Boyce. Both men shook hands, while we applauded.

Across the yard, I heard Trevor talking to the Pioneers. "And, it gives me great pleasure in presenting the Pontypandy Pioneers with their Survival Awards."

Sarah, James and Mandy cheered excitedly. Sensing the we were now dismissed, I relaxed to watch the kids get their hard-earned awards.

"Well, not all the Pioneers," Trevor added, looking around the corner of the building to where I knew Norman and Derek were hiding. Although Norman was no longer grounded, he was still under very strict conditions given by his mother.

As the ceremony broke up, I went and stood in front of Jupiter to soak up some sunlight and just enjoy the view of Pontypandy. I still couldn't quite believe just how close I'd come to losing it all, in more ways than one. After a moment, Elvis came over to me, dangling his medal in his hand.

"So, what made you change your mind about the job?" he asked me curiously.

"I learned a lot during the great fire, Elvis," I told him sincerely. "I nearly lost Pontypandy in that fire! So, I'm not going to lose it now."

Elvis nodded in understanding. I smiled. I was so glad I'd decided to stay.

"Hey! Elvis!" Trevor called, holding up his ukulele. "How about a sing-song?"

"Huh! Brilliant!" And Elvis hurried across the yard to where his guitar and a drum had been set up. Mike sat down at the drum, ready to start playing.

I shook my head as I watched Elvis go. Then, I walked down the driveway a bit to get away from the crowd, and from the music coming from the impromptu band. You see, sometimes, I just like to take a moment to be on my own, alone with my thoughts.

THE END

 **I hope that you've all enjoyed reading this version of 'The Great Fire of Pontypandy'. I will be posting the first chapter of 'Through Sam's Eyes: Heroes of the Storm' shortly. Thank you!**


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